McLaren boss offers plausible explanation for Oscar Piastri's struggles compared to Lando Norris in recent races

McLaren boss feels Oscar Piastri's struggles to get the best out of the car compared to Lando Norris could potentially come down to the track conditions that are low on grip. The last couple of races in Austin and in Mexico have been surprising for the Australian.

The driver has struggled to not only keep up with teammate Lando Norris but also drop behind significantly. For Instance, in Mexico, while the British driver starts the race on pole position, the Aussie would be in P7.

Such a major gulf has been shocking not only for the fans and onlookers but also for Oscar Piastri as well, who admitted his surprise at the gulf he's had to Lando Norris. There are various theories that have been fielded, but McLaren boss Andrea Stella gave his take on the situation as he pinpointed the track conditions as the factor.

According to Stella, Oscar Piastri thrives in high grip conditions, while Lando Norris does so in the lower grip. With Mexico offering the latter, it is plausible that it's playing a role. He told the media, including Sportskeeda,

"The fastest car is a car that needs to be driven in a certain way, especially when you have conditions like here, and to some extent in Austin, with hot Tarmac, sliding tyres."

He added,

"And the way in which you generate laptime is a way that comes relatively naturally for Lando, and less naturally for Oscar. Lando is the driver of going on low grip, end of the stint when the tyres are quite worn, the grip is low - it's where we see Lando go green sector, green sector, green sector. Oscar, instead, is more of a driver of high grip. That's where he can exploit this incredible talent."

McLaren boss feels Oscar Piastri's inexperience compared to Lando Norris also plays a role

Stella also felt that Oscar Piastri's inexperience in F1 is also playing a role, as the driver is still calibrating and adapting to different conditions. In only his third year in the sport, the driver is fighting for a title, and according to the McLaren boss, every session is a new learning experience for the Aussie as he tries to get better.

"At the same time, we don't have to forget that while we talk about the leader in the drivers' championship, he's not even finished the third season in Formula 1. So experiencing situations like we have here and in Austin is how you actually calibrate yourself as a driver. Every session is learning a little bit as to what you need to do, what you need to feel, to say, 'I'm fast now in these specific conditions', which, conversely are more natural conditions for Lando."

Getting ready for the race, Oscar Piastri is certainly on the back foot. The Australian is not in the best position when it comes to the starting grid and would be hoping to minimize the damage the race could do to his championship lead.